The minutes dragged for the non-Vulcans. If it did for the Vulcans as well, they showed no sign of it, but McCoy wondered if the stress started working on his patient when Saavik sat next to him on the floor. Everyone had stopped being in sight of the windows, just in case Myers and his crew were outside, waiting for targets.

"Doctor, this deadline you have set."

"I've been thinking about the same thing." He stopped turning his phaser around and around in his hands and laid it next to his medical kit. There's a juxtaposition I've had to accept in my life. "We don't need to keep hard and fast to it. I just don't want you sitting here forever."

"I know you do not mean that literally." She leaned against the wall behind them. "It will be good to sleep."

Another confession he never expected to hear. He shook his head to himself. What a night.

"Doctor. I need to discuss two issues with you."

He gave her a smile. "One of them is, you don't want me coming with you no matter how you leave this building. And you want me to make sure Spock and Sarek don't come either."

They practically touched from the shoulder down to their outstretched legs and yet, she didn't pull away. "How did you know?"

"I've become psychic. Come on, I know you well enough to figure that out."

"Then you understand I could be ambushed again. I will not risk your lives."

"Oh, I understand it." He looked down at his boots. "You know it's not going to happen. We won't stay behind. Don't bother trotting out that argument that Sarek and Spock are civilians either."

"Doctor!"

He half-rolled so they were close face to face. "Listen, someday you got to accept that people care about you. A lot. They're willing to take risks like today for your sake. The way you've done for them. We both know that if your positions were reversed, you'd go against the entire Benfold crew for Spock. Or Sarek. I'd like to think for me too."

She gave him a sidelong glance and he chuckled. He watched her absorb what he said.

S'lenick threw a shadow in the room as he went by and out the supply door Saavik had used earlier. He needed to negotiate with a couple people to get something Soluk had suggested.

"The second issue," Saavik said even as she thought about what McCoy said earlier, "is what you stated about the Benfold crew. Not all are like Myers. I am not the only one aboard who has been a target."

"Anyone who has pointed ears?"

She frowned. "No, and not all non-humans who serve in the crew. I believe I was the catalyst, being half-Romulan. Except, while the others' careers were stalled, they have endured nothing more unlike myself."

"What did they do to you?!" McCoy nearly shouted.

She tried minimizing it. "Explanations are unnecessary. However, with this attack, I grow concerned for the others well-being as well."

The doctor wanted to know what happened to her, but he saw she wasn't going to tell him. "You said their careers were stalled?"

"My theory," she said slowly, "is, Captain Yates takes exception with non-humans with Command experience. I have been stripped of my position and the others should have been promoted by now."

Comprehension dawned on McCoy's face. "He doesn't want you in a commanding rank. Probably trying to keep you from the captain's seat." He cursed to himself behind he calmed down. "Don't worry. Sarek's working on getting those people off the ship too. I heard him."

She nodded and stared into space for a long pause. "There are those I rescued on board. I speculate on what they think of me now. They must have heard what I am with all that is happening."

"To hell with them."

"Normally, I would agree." She said nothing for a moment. "There is a girl."

"Oh. …Maybe she hasn't heard or maybe the person who told her can make her understand. I'll go talk to her as soon as I can. I'll talk to all of them. I promise."

Saavik turned her head and just looked at him for a second. "Thank you for offering, Doctor, even if it proves too late with her."

McCoy didn't know what else to say, so when Saavik said nothing else, he decided to talk about something he'd wondered. He thought it funny, but this beat up room and its wavering light somehow managed to be cozy. Even sitting on the floor to stay away from the windows felt more like something two old friends just did as they talked, and it had one advantage. From this angle, all they could see was the night sky.

"Saavik, the thing you said before about what you talked about with Spock. Hold on!" He held up his hands. "I'm not talking about anything else. You two really said you'd be there for one another in pon farr?"

She slowly nodded.

His smile came back. "That's good. I'm happy for you two. Sounds like you took something tough and now it'll be… special."

He meant it.

Without thinking, he patted her leg. "Good for you. I'm glad you'll both have that."

Saavik gave him a look at the leg pat and then simply stretched a bit before they both turned their eyes to the stars.

. . . .

The dampening field turned off in dramatic fashion. Every light surged to full brightness. Computer systems came up and informed anyone listening all at once of what they monitored. Communicators and comm stations went off like crazy as starships and stations around the planet repeatedly tried to reach anyone in the zone.

S'lenick sent Sarek's message to all the ships on Saavik's list while McCoy was all over her with his tricorder.

The first person they heard from was Spock. As soon as he was reassured of Saavik's status, he quickly explained they fixed the shielding on the Romulan device and Starfleet was sending teams to investigate it.

Sarek told him about their strategizing and Spock argued, "Father, you thought we would not have enough staff for this confrontation. That is including our return."

Sarek's voice deepened. "I stand corrected. We will do what we must with the personnel we have. We are attempting to have staffs from the VSE and Starfleet vessels come to the embassy. We are delayed, however, with the time it takes to explain. Return quickly, my son."

Spock signed off.

Sarek had left off a detail. It wasn't just the explaining taking time they couldn't afford, it was the fact they accused a Starfleet captain and his officers. Even with Saavik's report, it was a he said-she said problem and Sarek found himself the diplomat bargaining for the rights of the woman he thought of as a daughter and wanted for his son.

Stron and T'Mes' ships had moved out of orbit, dragging away the largest pieces of debris to be safely destroyed. So Sarek spoke with one Starfleet captain after another which was when he learned he had made a grave mistake.

S'lenick was the one to tell him as he rushed in. "Ambassador, we have forgotten this is not a true embassy building. It has no shielding against transporters. We cannot block hostile forces."

The sound of people transporting began. In the scant seconds before those beams finished, Sarek ordered, "Adjust positions."

Except Saavik refused to move, easily pushing back on McCoy dragging her. "Sarek!"

"Daughter, go!"

It broke her doggedness and she went. It was the fact that they had useable positions that did what he ordered: adjust. Sarek stood where the party coming in would face: in front of the sitting room where Saavik was.

He had studied the officers' records, so he recognized Captain Taylor Yates and first officer Commander Ethan Madison. Myers, Ramsey, Burdin, and the others Sarek had already met.

Yates had a ruddy complexion with his brown hair and eyes; Sarek wondered if he was already angry, causing more redness. "Stand aside, Sarek. We're here to arrest that Romulan spy."

"We expected your men's return. I explained to them they required the necessary documents. Do you have them?"

Yates' eyes flashed. "This isn't an embassy, it's just a building we gave you. It's not sovereign ground! On top of that, we're claiming she's persona non grata, so we have every right to take her out of here! What do you say to that?"

Sarek said one word. "Commanders."

T'Mes flung open the door to the sitting room over Sarek's left shoulder; she braced her lirpa in the space so its shaft barred entry. She held a phaser aimed at the Starfleet party. Just as surprising and more jarring was the sound of metal being torn out of place. Stron did it to the previously jammed door over Sarek's right shoulder and Soluk did the same with the one on the side wall and leaned out to cover the attacking group.

Three doors barred with lirpas and held phasers. Sarek didn't even blink.

But Ethan Madison did. "You people left. You were an hour away!"

T'Mes sounded like a teacher chiding a poor student. "Did you think we do not have transporters as well?"

Sarek folded one hand over the other. "As for your claims, I first state this is an embassy, with the authorization of the President, under Federation Code, Title 22, Chapter 58, Subchapter 1, Section 4802. It is likewise established under Romulan Imperial law Title 28, Chapter 33, Subchapter 5, Section 1605. In our first communications with the Empire, they agreed we would establish an embassy. Such property would be claimed for that purpose by the presence of an ambassador. Spock fulfilled it when he arrived, thereby creating this as an inviolable estate."

"As for you unsubstantiated claim of persona non grata-"

The hum of a transporter came from the sitting room. Sarek paused to listen to it. He raised his head when it was done. "The point is irrelevant. Commander Saavik is no longer here."

Yates' expression registered he'd been beaten by Saavik being beamed out. He lunged at the Vulcan diplomat. "Who the hell do you think you are?!"

Sarek's face grew very dark. "I am the premier ambassador for Vulcan, a core world of the United Federation of Planets. In my official capacity, I have witnessed three attacks on a person both a Starfleet officer and a Vulcan citizen." He drew closer and Yates looked weaker every second under those eyes. "It is why the attacks on Commander Saavik will be answered. I am bringing charges against you and ordering an investigation into your ship."

The captain's smile became ugly. "You're not bringing us in." He opened his communicator but it disappeared from his hand. In the short second it took him to look down, Stron, T'Mes, and Soluk moved. They held their lirpas with one hand, the shaft lined on the forearm and drawn back beside the head, so the blade aimed at Yates' party like a striking snake and the club end could be brought in with the elbow if necessary. They still held their phasers in their other hands. Stron cut off the group's escape on the left, Soluk on the right, and T'Mes at Sarek's shoulder with a wall at Yates and the others' backs.

The bearded Vulcan gave an odd, guttural stop sound and S'lenick came in with two snarling sehlats to cut off the prisoners to the rear.

The men closest to the animals practically climbed on top of each other. "What the hell are those!"

Sarek lifted his eyebrows. "Pets. On loan from their rescued owners."

"Drop all communicators and weapons," Stron demanded.

The group boiled over the order but they couldn't win. The Vulcans could knock them unconscious and disarm them anyway.

Yates' suddenly turned congenial. "Of course, we will."

The Commander waited until the clatter of all the devices hitting the ground finished and then asked the aides to gather them. The Benfold captain swiftly grabbed at the Caitian and his phaser. Soluk shot the phaser away and K'Nusar lifted Yates off his feet.

Sarek said calmly, "Did you honestly believe we did not know you may attempt taking a hostage? I will be adding it to the charges. Mr. K'Nusar."

The Caitian dropped Yates and pushed him back with his men. The captain rubbed his throat and straightened up. "Bring your charges. Nothing's going to happen to us."

The floor creaked and Rayfh and Maes came out of another room. They had Reynolds with them.

"Yes!" Myers cheered. "Now what are you gonna do, Sarek? Our representatives are here."

Sarek appeared unconcerned.

Rayfh pushed the young doctor into Yates' group. "Your representatives know exactly what you've done and are prepared to swear to it."

Sarek now had two more in his line of forces. "They were watching the feed from this room. I had it set up prior to your arrival. I also broadcast it to three Starfleet captains to further corroborate my defense. By my calculations they should be beaming down in the next five seconds."

Three parties beamed down in clear areas in the hallways, a captain at the head of each. One, a human man with short brown hair and light skin, stepped forward. "We're early."

The second captain, a woman of the same coloring, ripped the captain's braid from Yates' uniform. "And you're done."

"We got this," the third captain, a black man, told Stron and the Vulcans stood down although staying by Sarek.

Maes' upper lip curled as she asked the prisoners, "Explain something, Captain. We looked at your ship's records. We found three occasions where Saavik applied for a transfer or another ship requested her. Why didn't you just let her go?"

Yates ordered his people to say nothing, but another voice broken in: Kettiman. "Because another ship could treat her good. Recognize her rank, maybe put her in command. They probably wouldn't do something you bragged about. People on the ship are talking. They said you'd send her on the worst landing parties with minimum Security to protect her."

Sarek clasped his hands together tighter.

"Traitor!" Ramsey shouted.

Kettiman found the strength to stand up to his captain. "You said something else. You bragged that you were a lucky man. You didn't ask for Commander Saavik, but she fell in your lap."

Maes' forehead creased. "Why is that lucky?"

Yates and his group finally got smart and shut up. So, Kettiman finished it. "They got to get rid of the Rommie."